MIAMI, FL —Hopefully, Girls Gone Wild founder and frequent courtroom denizen Joe Francis has a fetish for lawyers – because he’s back on the business end of the lawsuit roller coaster, after having barely had an opportunity to get a lung full of freedom. This time he’s managed to piss off the woman whose professional dating experiences cost now-former New York governor Eliot Spitzer his job. Although it wasn’t so long ago that Francis insisted that any and all footage of a teen Dupre going wild on one of his infamous tour buses was entirely legal, going to make him major bank online, and well within his rights to release and hype as he sees fit, he’s singing another song today.
Yesterday, Ashley Alexandre Dupre filed suit in Miami federal court demanding $10 million from Francis for using her name and likeness to promote videos she appeared in – while she was 17, and therefore not old enough to sign a legal contract when the tour bus staff gave her alcohol and convinced her to flash her underage breasts for the camera.
According to Dupre, who came to the world’s attention as “Kristen,” a high priced call girl who entertained men including the then-powerful Spitzer, she was “socializing” at Miami’s Chesterfield Hotel in 2003 when Girls Gone Wild representatives introduced themselves to her.
Of potential harm to Dupre’s story is the fact that drunk or not, unable to “understand the magnitude” of her actions or not, she had a fake ID stating that she was of legal age.
Francis has responded to the accusations by issuing a statement to TMZ, saying “We were very surprised and in fact amazed today that Ms. Dupree (sic) filed a lawsuit against Girls Gone Wild. We have not publicly released any new video of Ms. Dupree (sic), due to corporate policy of not using footage of individuals younger than 18. It is incomprehensible that Ms. Dupree (sic) could claim she did not give her consent to be filmed by Girls Gone Wild, when in fact we have videotape of her giving consent, while showing her identification.”
Francis continued by pointing out that “We did in fact offer Ashley via her New York attorney $1 Million to host and promote various Girls Gone Wild activities – She refused this offer and in fact if she’d like to re-consider, we’d be happy to rediscuss. She should keep in mind, its (sic) considerably more than the Governor of New York paid her, and our activities aren’t illegal.”
Dupre was allegedly paid $4,300 for her date at the Mayflower Hotel with Spitzer.
TMZ further quotes Francis as insisting that his offer is not an attempt to deflect the 22-year-old now presumably ex-prostitute’s legal claims, which he believes have “zero” chance of success in court.
“She’s seeking $10 Million for topless photos taken in front of a room full of people, including two newspaper and multiple crews we had in the room. These images were taken in public places and contain no sexual content. We expect to triumph in this matter and continue to offer the best and hottest girls.”
Elsewhere in Florida, Francis continues to face charges of filming more underage girls in Panama City whom he claims presented fake ID.
